‘Borderlands 2’ Joins the Season Pass Club

File this one under “Things We Probably Should Have Seen Coming.” In July, Gearbox Software announced that it had completed development of Borderlands 2 and would begin working on downloadable content, including free bonuses for pre-order customers, like the Creature Slaughter Dome and the Mechromancer.

Needless to say, there are also paid DLC expansions in the works for Borderlands 2, and when a slate of upcoming DLC releases is on the way, you know some kind of season pass can’t be far behind. Right on cue, publisher 2K Games has announced the Borderlands 2 Season Pass, which will offer players the chance to snag all of the game’s “announced add-on content campaigns” for $29.99.

When it hits retail on September 18th, Borderlands 2 is already going to be packed with a crazy amount of content. According to Gearbox Software, the game’s campaign alone promises 58 hours of playtime. Meanwhile, Borderlands 2’sinfinite progression system, multiple player classes and endless supply of loot should keep fans busy in the world of Pandora for a frankly unimaginable length of time — talk about over-delivering!

In keeping with the game’s “more is better” ethos, four post launch DLC episodes have been promised, all of which will be available by June of next year. The 2K Games press release announcing the Borderlands 2 Season Pass offers a brief description of what players can expect.

“These four add-on content campaigns will each feature several hours of gameplay and introduce new adventures, allies, enemies and environments.”

Each DLC pack will be available individually for $9.99 on PlayStation 3 and PC, and 800 MS Points on Xbox 360. Obviously, buying all four packs separately comes to just about $40, making the Season Pass’s $30 price something of a bargain — think of it as a “buy three, get one free” kind of a deal. On the other hand…

To experience everything Borderlands 2 has to offer, Gearbox is asking prospective players to make an awfully large investment, and jump through a couple of hoops. Yes, pre-ordering the game anywhere grants access to the Premiere Club, which makes the Mechromancer free when she becomes available, but if you also want the Creature Slaughter Dome, you’ve got to order at GameStop. If you don’t pre-order the game at all, but still want to play as the Mechromancer, be prepared to pay for the privilege.

Compounding matters is the multiplayer focus of the game. No one wants to be the only member of the team locked out of the latest content, but at minimum, Borderlands 2 and its DLC are going to set players back a cool $90 — and that’s assuming they’re picking up the standard edition of the game. Is it too much to ask of players? What do you think?